Back in 2022, I was sitting at a bar in Philadelphia watching Wimbledon over mimosas and French toast sticks. I knew who Andy Murray was - everyone in Scotland does - and I knew tennis was a sport played by men several tax brackets above me. But otherwise, my knowledge was fairly limited, though I knew tournament tickets were generally on the pricy side and lessons and equipment even more so.
Even still, I loved something about tennis, and went out of my way to watch the rest of the tournament.
The year after, the opportunity came up to attend the Davis Cup in Manchester. It turned out to be one of the most fun sporting events I’ve attended: hard courts, reasonably priced drinks, and Neil Diamond and Runrig blasting between matches.
So at the end of 2023, “take tennis lessons” made it onto my yearly goals.
And again in 2024.
And 2025.
But a couple of weeks ago, I finally booked and attended my first ever tennis lesson.
As it turns out, the £30 racquet was not my wisest purchase. It’s bright orange, made of aluminium, and the ball shoots off in unpredictable directions the moment it touches the strings. Though, let's be honest - that may say more about my ability than HEAD’s engineering.
But things aren't so bad for those on a budget, because for almost the price of that obnoxiously bright racquet, I have treated myself to a further block of tennis lessons.
It turns out that sport really can be for everyone
I take lessons with We Do Tennis, a community interest company that runs affordable coaching and local tournaments. The atmosphere is relaxed — we’re all learning together — and no one cares if a ball goes flying in the wrong direction. Well, no one says they do.
Most impressively, you can also access free social tennis through the LTA Free Park Tennis sessions, which take place around the UK. Racquets and balls are provided, volunteers are there to help out where they can, and it's actually really sociable. Each week has a theme, and players are grouped roughly by confidence level.
Fortuitous, really, as I would crumble at the hands of a more experienced player.
For me, it’s a way to get outside, meet people, and move my body in a way that’s actually enjoyable. I have never loved spending time in the gym, while absolutely recognising the value of exercise. Do I expect to find myself on Centre Court at Wimbledon? Absolutely not. We are four weeks into lessons, and I have never played a full game.
But it's interesting that we've finally gotten here. I went from sitting alone in a drag bar watching Wimbledon to waking up early on weekends excited to play. It's an interesting sport, the learning curve is steep (even for former athletes, I have learned) but you can also see improvements too when you try, reflect, and focus on what you are doing.
If you’ve been avoiding trying something because you might look stupid, take it from me: you probably will. In fact, I now look stupid on a weekly basis, and in a public space no less.
But it turns out that sport really can be for everyone, even those of us wielding a bright orange £30 racquet.